Clock-driven indicator



Aug. 22, 1939. F, ALDERMAN 2,170,743

CLOCK DRIVEN INDICATOR Filed Aug. 31, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l /NVENTOR. j FRED ALDE RMAN.

ATTORNEY W Aug. 22, 1939.

F. ALDERMAN CLOCK DRIVEN INDICATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 51, 1936 INVENTOR.

I rIIIIIIQQIIIIIQ- rill/ N'lllll g F u l -l'l'lll'.

FRED ALDERMAN.

ATTORNEY W W Aug. 22, 1939. F. ALDERMAN CLOCK DRIVEN INDICATOR Filed Aug. 31, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

227 FRED ALDERMAN. ATTORNEY. W W W Patented Aug. 22, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 31, 1936, Serial No. 98,773 In Great Britain September 2, 1935 7 Claims.

This invention relates to programme clocks for indicating events or items which are due at different points of time during the day, for example, the items of a cinema theatre programme.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of the kind above referred to in which the items to be indicated may be readily changed according to a particular programme in the case of an indicator for theatres and the like, or a particular route in the case of vehicles. Another object is to provide means for readily adjusting as a whole the timing of a programme without interfering with the setting of the items.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show its application to a cinema theatre programme.

In the said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a face view of one arrangement.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail View of one of the division members.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing an alternative form of division member.

Fig. 5 is a face view of an alternative arrangement.

Fig. 6 is a section of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary View of the upper portion of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the hinge of the clock shown in Fig. 6, the clock mechanism being omitted while the cover plate is shown swung slightly open.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, I is a casing inside which a clock (not shown) is arranged.

The hour-hand 5 is extended behind a clock face ring 26 secured to the inner face of the glass cover plate 25, and has mounted thereon an electric lamp 6 which is located so as to appear beyond the said ring 26. One terminal of the electric lamp 6 is earthed to the mechanism, while the other is insulated and led to a wipe contact I at the inner end of the hand 5, which contacts with a flat metal contact ring 8 concentric with the clock face 2 and connected to a source of supply 9, the other terminal of the source of supply being earthed to the mechanism.

The front of the casing I has a basic disc II revoluloly mounted about a central bearing disc contact disc 8. The thickness of the disc I2 is greater than that of the disc I I so as to allow of the rotation of the latter.

Two concentric annular discs or rings I4, I5 are rigidly mounted on the disc I I so as to be concentric therewith, the inner diameter of the outer ring I5 and the outer diameter of the inner ring I4 being such that an annular groove is formed between the two rings. The rings I4 and I5 are spaced from the disc I I by two further concentric rings I6, I! spaced apart at their inner edges for a greater amount than the width of the groove formed between the rings I4 and 15 so that the section of the resulting groove formed between the discs I4, IS on the one hand and the discs I5, I! on the other hand is in the form of an inverted T which is adapted to receive slidable studs I8 having secured thereto division members I9. The members II, I4, I5, I6, I! together form the item carrying member. The studs I8 are grooved so as to leave on each a fiat surface IBa which is accommodated in the narrow portion of the annular groove and serves to prevent the studs rotating. Also rigidly secured to the studs I8 are spring clips 2|], 2| which have their outer ends normally located in the annular groove between the discs I4 and I5. The said clips are shown of different lengths but they may be the same length if desired. They are adapted to hold between them movable discs 22 or other flat members bearing notices of the various features of the programme.

The timing ring I3 is divided into convenient fractions of twelve hours to provide a scale adjacent which the inner ends of the division members I9 are movable, so that by sliding the studs I8 in the annular groove the said division members I9 may be set to within a minute.

Means such as a friction wheel 23 mounted in the side of the casing I are provided for rotating the basic disc II relatively to the timing ring I3 so that in the event of delay in the programme the whole programme may be re-set by turning the said wheel 23, a zero setting mark 24 in the form of an arrow head being provided on the disc I4 for re-setting purposes. The friction wheel 23 is shown in contact with the ring I! but of course may contact with any or all of the rings I5, I! and disc II.

A cover plate 25 of glass or other transparent substance is mounted between a dished ring 225 and a plain ring 225 the inner edges of which engage the rim of the said cover plate, the rings 225 and 226 being held together by screws 221. The ring 226 is hinged to the one side of the casing l by a hinge 228 (Fig. 8). A clock face ring 25 having hour and minute divisions thereon and of a diameter which covers the outer margin of the timing ring I3 is secured to cover plate 25 so that when the cover is in the closed position the edge of the timing ring is covered.

For inserting the studs I8 in the annular groove the rings l4 and i5 have notches formed therein at 21.

Instead of using spring urged division members IS the division members may comprise strips 28 adapted to be clamped against the discs 14, I5 by a nut 29 on a screw threaded extension 30 of the stud l8 as shown in Fig. 4.

In use the base disc l l is turned until the setting mark 24 is in the zero position opposite the zero mark 2 4a on the timing ring l8. The division members l9 are then set at the points of time at which the various items on the programme are due to start and the discs 22 bearing the particular items of the programme are inserted between the appropriate adjacent division members. When using 'thespring urged type of division l9, the mere insertion of a disc 22 underneath the clip 2! is sufficient to lock the members 59 in position as the discs 22 cause the said clips to be placed under tension. As the programme progresses the hour-hand 5 and with it its lamp 6 passes over the various divisions and indicates to the observer the exact state of progress of the particular items.

' In the event of a hitch occurring in the pro gramme so that the items are behind time, then, as above set forthgby turning the wheel 23 the whole programme can be reset without disturbing any of the parts. If desired a locknut may be associated with the roller 23 to lock it in position.

The device shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to4 except that it is intended for internal "illumination and to effect this the mounting of the division members and the adjustment means'for altering the timing of the programme have to be modified with a view toflreducing the thickness of material through which the light has to pass. In this form the frontface of the casing l comprises a disc of translucent glass or' other material la, which is secured at its centre to the clock 3| which in its turn is mounted by a spider 32 to the back of the casing I. Behind theclock 3i and within the spider 32 there is mounteda festoon lamp 3 3. Concentric with the clock axis is a flanged ring 34 of a diameter substantially equal to the width of the clock casing. The said ring 34 is adaptedto be moved through a small angle by its being secured to the glass disc la of the indicator by means of screw threaded studs 35 and nuts 35, the said studs passing through segmental slots 31in the ring 34." A clamp 38 comprising a metal strip threaded at one end over a stud 38a mounted in the casing I and having thereona clamping nut 38b, serves for temporarily holding'the ring 36 in its adjusted position while the nuts 36 are being screwed down, so that both nuts 36 and 38b will have to be loosened to free the ring 34. On the face la immediately outside the ring 34 a time scale or timing ring 39 is marked off in convenient divisions.

The ring 34 has a flange34a projecting therefrom, on which are adapted to be supported division members 40 comprising strips of spring steel or the like and having near their lower ends U-bend parts 40a to provide spring clips adapted to pass over the said flange 34a. A pointer 401.)

is formed on the clip end of the division members 40 to move against the timing ring 39. Lateral clip members 400 are formed on the division members at about mid-way of their length. The said division members 40 function in the same Way as the division members l9 shown in Figs. 1 to '4. The hour-hand 5 is extended up nearly to the flanged ring 34, and where it passes under the clock face ring 26 it is narrowed for example by twisting it at right angles to its normal plane with a view to reducing the amount of shadow cast on the ring 26.

The setting of the division members 49 is effected in a similar manner to that described with reference to Figs. 2 to 4 as also is the mounting of the discs 22, but instead of sliding the division members 40 along a groove they are slid along the flange 3% and set against the scale 39. In the event of delay in the programme the setting of the time may be readily altered by slackening off the nuts 36 and 38b, thus loosening the clamp 38, and moving the ring 34 into the desired setting position, the ring being held in' its set position by the clamp 38 prior to screwing down the nuts 36.

"When the cover plate 25 is closed its rim 25a covers the flange ring 34.

For convenience of illustration the friction wheel '23' in Fig. 3 is shown at the top of the drawing. Y

Preferably electric clocks are used for the'de- Vice; and where the supply is A. C. then by using synchronous motors on the projectors absolute accuracy in timing of the programme is assured.

The above application of the invention to indicate the progress of cinema'programmes may be substituted for the category board at present inuse.

Iclaim: I

1. The combination of an indicator dial and indicating means thereon for use on a programme clock including a spindle and a pointer'on said spindle, comprising an item carrying member,

guide means concentric with the center of said 7 member, slidable division members constrained against radial movement in both directions by said guide means, and means 'on said division members for detachably fastening elements on which are indicated the programme items to said division members so as to be jointly supported by adjacent division members.

' 2. The'combination of an indicatordial and indicating means thereon for use on a programme clock. including a spindle and a pointer on said spindle, comprising an item carrying member, guide means concentric with the center of said member, slidable'radial strips constrained against radial movement in both directions by said guide means and laterally projecting spring clip members along the length of said strips for detach strips, said clip members being adapted to engage indicating members between adjacent strips.

4. The combination of an indicator dial and indicating means on said dial for use on a programme clock comprising a spindle and a pointer on said spindle, said dial comprising an item carrying member having an annular T-section groove therein, said groove being concentric with the center of said member, grooved studs adapted to slide in said annular groove, a screw threaded extension on each of said grooved studs, a radial strip passing over said extension, a nut on said extension for holding down said strip, and laterally projecting clip members along the length of said strips, said clip members being adapted to engage indicating members between adjacent strips.

5. The combination of an indicator dial and indicating means on said dial for use on a programme clock comprising a spindle and a pointer on said spindle, said dial comprising an item carrying member, a flanged ring on said item carrying member, said ring being concentric with the center of said member, radial strips having U-bends on said radial strips, said U-bends being adapted to engage with the flange of said flanged ring, and laterally projecting clip members along the length of said strips, said clip members being adapted to engage indicating members between adjacent strips.

6. The combination of an indicator dial and indicating means on said dial according to claim 1, comprising a bearing disc concentric with the center of the item carrying member, said item carrying member being rot-atably mounted about said bearing disc, and a stationary retaining disc concentric with, of larger diameter than, and secured to, said bearing disc.

7. The combination of an indicator dial and indicating means on said dial according to claim 1, comprising a bearing disc concentric with the center of the item carrying member, said item carrying member being rotatab-ly mounted about said bearing disc, a stationary retaining disc concentric with, of larger diameter than, and secured to, said bearing disc, a transparent cover, and a clock dial ring on said cover adapted to cover the outer margin of said retaining ring when said cover is in the closed position.

FRED ALDERMAN. 

